It’s hard to state just how important the convalescing Devin Booker is to the Phoenix Suns, but a recent conversation with Jerry Colangelo helps.

“I’m really high on him,” Colangelo said.

Colangelo, former owner of the Suns, these days is chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and managing director of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team. Colangelo’s impact on the game is so broad that in the most recent Hall of Fame class, he had direct involvement in the careers of four players and an executive.

So, when he says Booker has the goods, based on his observations in Las Vegas over the summer with USA Basketball, it carries weight.

“He’s got everything … in terms of attitude, work ethic, wants to keep playing. He’s a listener. He’s learning from the vets ahead of him. You can see it. It was wonderful to see,” Colangelo said last week, before the news emerged that Booker is expected to miss six weeks to recover from surgery on his shooting hand.

Booker was among a small group of ultra-competitive players in what was supposed to be a relaxed atmosphere in Las Vegas over the summer.

“It was kind of a loose camp,” Colangelo said, “and it was intended to be. It wasn’t a tryout. It wasn’t a hard camp. It was basically to get everyone together. Get a read on who’s interested, who’s willing to pay the price, etc. I’ll tell ya, it turned out to be much more competitive than we had thought it might be. We didn’t think the guys were going to go as hard as they did, but they did.”

The camp, more than anything, turned out to be a gauge of passion.

“It’s kinda interesting,” Colangelo said. “Who are the guys who get there early? Who are the guys who get there late? Who wants to continue to practice? And who’s ready to sit down? People separate themselves. They really do.”